


Stay Strong and Hold On

by Jellybean96



Category: Prodigal Son (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Established Relationship, F/M, Family, Married!Brightwell, Parent!Brightwell
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:47:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23661790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jellybean96/pseuds/Jellybean96
Summary: Dani gets taken from their home in the middle of the day. Malcolm is very close to losing his mind about it.
Relationships: Malcolm Bright/Dani Powell
Comments: 2
Kudos: 44





	Stay Strong and Hold On

**Author's Note:**

> Hey babes! Back again with a new Brightwell story for ya! This one was fun to write, and I wrote it pretty quickly too. I just haven't posted it until now because I had a hard time coming up with a title. But I have, so now I'm posting. This one was loosely inspired by a post on Tumblr, so I hope you like it.
> 
> Enjoy!

He's numb. Everything is numb and blurred and he can't even think straight. His nerve endings are all on edge, his brain is racing a mile a minute, and his stomach is turning so much worse than it ever has before. Because he's never been in a situation exactly like this before. And he hates it. With every fiber of his being, he hates it.

He wasn't even gone for that long. Just long enough to make a quick trip to the market down the street to get a few things. A trip he's taken enough times in the last few years. He knows how long it takes him to walk there and back. And usually, he doesn't take too long inside, unless there's an uncharacteristically long line at the checkout counter.

By the time he got back, though, he knew something was off. He could just feel it. It didn't help matters that the front door was standing wide open, faint cries of his son in the background.

He somehow managed to hang onto the reusable bags in his hands when he took in the state of the living room. Everything was in chaos; their coffee table was broken down the middle, glass shards from the window littered the carpet, a cup of tea spilled out onto the table and the carpet.

It took him a split second to register the sound of his son and he dropped his bags and booked up to the toddler's room.

He found him sitting in the middle of his bed with his favorite blanket pulled into his lap, tears rolling down his reddened face and his favorite stuffed animal clutched tightly in one fist. He thankfully managed to calm him down enough so that he could call the police — call Gil — to report the break-in and his missing wife. And then he'd called his mother, needing her support in a time like this. And then he called Gil again just to make sure something was being done.

.

.

.

But that had been a few hours ago. And there's still no news. Other people say that no news is good news, but he's not other people. He doesn't follow societal norms. He just needs everything to be okay, he needs his wife to be found safe and to come back home. He would help find her if Gil didn't forcibly make him stay put, claiming that he was too emotionally charged to be on the case and think clearly. Of course he's emotionally charged, he just wants to find his wife.

"Malcolm, darling, you haven't touched your food."

"I'm not hungry."

"You need to eat."

"I said I'm not hungry," he snaps, his eyes shooting up to look pointedly at his mother. And then a second later he's deflating, letting out a heavy sigh as he runs a hand through his hair, his shoulders slumping. "I'm sorry. I'm just...on edge."

"I understand. You want her to be safe. But you have to remember that you have a son to think about as well. Ezra needs you, even if he's much too young to really understand what's going on."

He nods slowly. "I know. I was just so terrified out of my mind when I got home, that something had happened to both of them. Then I heard him and I was relieved. But then I realized Dani was gone and I got terrified all over again."

His mother smiles softly at him, reaching out to place one of her hands over his. "You're a good husband, Malcolm. And a wonderful father. I truly never thought I'd live to see it happen, but I'm glad I did."

"I just want her home," he says, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Gil's going to find her. He isn't going to give up."

"I know that. I know he's going to find her. I'm just terrified of what state she'll be in when he does find her. I try to keep my mind from going to the worst…"

"But she's your wife, the mother of your son, and you just want her home. I understand."

He shakes his head. "No, it's not just that. We...we were going to wait to say something because it's still early." He swallows thickly. "Dani's pregnant, again."

His mother gasps quietly. "You're worried something is going to happen to the baby."

He nods. "We were so excited when we found out."

"As you should be. They're both going to be fine, Malcolm. You need to believe that."

"I know, mother. And I—"

He's cut off by the excited squeals of his son getting closer and closer to the doors of the dining room at his mother's place. He hadn't wanted to stay at his and Dani's home, for obvious reasons.

Turning in his seat, a genuine smile pulls at his lips when he sees Ainsley walking in with Ezra sitting comfortably on her hip.

"Oh, look, Ez!" Ainsley says with an excited gasp, her eyes locked on Ezra. She glances over at Malcolm and then back to Ezra. "I think I found your dad."

Ezra's eyes track across the room and then land on him, his face instantly lighting up. He leans forward in Ainsley's arms, reaching out and wiggling his fingers. "Daddy!"

He gestures with his head for Ainsley to move closer and then happily takes Ezra from her. He holds the boy securely in his arms, dropping a kiss to the top of his dark hair, breathing in deeply. He looks up at his sister. "Thanks for giving him a bath, Ains."

She waves him off with a smile, returning to the chair she had occupied during dinner. "It wasn't a big deal. Any time I can take to spend with my nephew, I'm all for it. Any news yet on Dani?"

He sighs and shakes his head, leaning back in his chair and holding Ezra close. "No, nothing." He gently rubs his hand up and down Ezra's back, bringing the boy closer and closer to sleep.

"Well, for what it's worth, I know she's going to be okay. She's tough, she'll make it through and soon enough she'll be back with you and your son."

He heaves out another heavy sigh, glancing down to see his son lying against him completely still, one of his tiny hands clenching a fistful of Malcolm's shirt. He drops a kiss to the top of his son's head, hoping that he doesn't remember any of this as the years go on and he grows older.

He doesn't want him to have to remember any pain when he thinks about his early childhood, only wants him to know happiness and love coming from both of his parents. He just wants the best for his son. And that includes Dani coming back.

He lets out a heavy breath as he runs a hand over his son's head. "Grandpa and uncle JT are gonna find your mom's, Ezra," he whispers. "I promise."

* * *

Her body is aching and numb at the same time. She didn't think that was possible. But apparently, it is. It's nowhere near the pain she endured when her son was born, but it's pretty close up there. She yanks on the chains again, wincing once more when they cut at the skin of her wrists.

If only she'd been more aware and had been paying better attention, then she might have been able to fend the attacker off, a suspect they'd been after with a previous case that kept slipping through the cracks. She and Ezra were relaxing together in the living room with the TV on, a mug of tea in her hand, and a sippy cup of juice in her son's hand while they waited for Malcolm to get back from the store.

But then the door had been thrown in and everything was a blur from there. She knows she tried to fight, it's in her instincts. But she also had to protect her son. Even if the assailant was only there for her, her maternal instincts were in overdrive. Her only thought was keeping her son safe, telling him repeatedly to go upstairs to his bedroom, to wait for his dad. She knew that Malcolm would be home soon enough, that he'd take care of their son and that the team would find her, so she didn't fight back too much when the guy took her from the house.

She doesn't even know how much time has passed, how long she's been chained up, her face punched and her sides kicked. She's been worried the entire time, not just for herself. But for her husband and son back home, worried about what's going through Malcolm's mind. It can't be anything good. And she's worried about the baby that they just found out about. She doesn't want anything to happen. Ezra's only two-and-a-half and they weren't planning on another baby so soon, but she doesn't care. She wants this baby. She just needs to make it through this to get back to the rest of her family.

She hasn't seen the guy since he last came in to hit her, but she's not sure how long it's actually been. Just that she almost passes out from her injuries but is awoken again by the faint sounds of sirens. And then shouting that gets closer and closer.

She jumps when the door is kicked in and then lets out a shaky breath of relief when she sees JT standing in the doorway.

"She's here!" he calls over his shoulder, holstering his gun as he moves toward her. He's quick to undo her restraints and pull her to her feet.

She hangs onto him as she shifts her gaze to the door, Gil entering just seconds later.

"Powell, how are you feeling?" he asks her as he moves to her other side.

"What? This?" she responds with a quiet chuckle. "This is nothing. Just some minor scrapes."

"I think Bright's been rubbing off on you a little too much," Gil remarks as he and JT begin helping her to the door.

She has to close her eyes tightly at the harsh, flashing lights of the police cars and ambulances that are outside lining the street once they step through the door. She lets Gil and JT support most of her weight as they make their way toward one of the ambulances.

She just barely catches sight of the suspect being put into one of the cop cars. She tries to smile but winces because of her split lip. She's glad he's going to go to prison. Death would be too easy for him.

She's loaded into the back of the ambulance, an EMT climbing in after her. Before the doors close, she locks eyes with Gil. "Bright?"

He gives her a small smile. "I'll call him on the way, let him know where you are."

She nods, trying to convey all of her gratitude with a single look. Then the doors are shut and the ambulance is driving down the street to the nearest hospital.

.

.

.

"Dani?"

She looks up and smiles when she sees her husband standing in the doorway to her hospital room, a nervous smile on his own face. She reaches a hand out to him in response, wiggling her fingers just enough for her message to get across.

He's at her side in an instant, his hand holding onto hers tightly and his lips pressed against her skin. "I thought I lost you," he mutters and she almost doesn't hear him.

She reaches her other hand across to run her fingers through his hair, helping to calm him down. "I'm okay," she whispers to him in the quiet of the room that encapsulates them. "I'm right here, I'm okay."

He looks up at her now, his eyes shining with tears. "You...I was so scared."

She nods. "So was I. How's Ezra?"

"He's good. Mother and Ainsley were more than happy to keep him entertained while I came here to see you. Speaking of, we may have to stay with my mother for a while until we fix up the house."

She cracks a small smile at the thought. "Well, I'm sure she'll love having Ez around all the time while we're there."

He lets out a small chuckle, looking down. "Oh, she certainly will."

The silence surrounds them again, the quiet beeping of the machines monitoring her being the only noises. She lets her mind wander to her son, glad that if something had happened to her, then he'd still have a great family to look after him. But she's extremely grateful that nothing happened to her. She doesn't know what she'd do if she didn't get to see her baby boy—

She lets out a quiet gasp, her hand flying to her flat stomach and then looking up at her husband with tear-filled eyes.

His own eyes flick down to her hand then back up to her eyes. He lets the tiniest of smiles pull at his lips as he places a hand over hers. "The baby's fine. Nothing happened."

She feels the tears of relief starting to spill over and she blinks a few times to try and clear them. But it doesn't help. "The baby's okay?"

"Yeah, the baby's okay. It's one of the first things I asked once I knew you were okay. The doctor said none of your injuries caused any harm to the baby."

She chokes on a sob because she's so happy, turning her hand over to lace their fingers together.

"Mommy."

"Oh, is this a bad time?"

She lifts her eyes and quickly clears her tears away enough to see the shape of her mother-in-law and son in the doorway. She shakes her head, breathing in deeply. "No, of course not."

"Good. Because someone really wants to see you. Even though we were having tons of fun, I understand his need to see his mother."

The next second she has her son in her arms and she's squeezing him tight, breathing in deeply. She smiles when he curls up against her, babbling quietly as he gently pulls at some of her curls, watching as they bounce.

"Is everything alright?" Jessica asks after a moment. "You both look like you've been crying and in a hospital, that isn't usually a good thing."

"I'm okay," she says with a small smile.

"Oh, that's wonderful. And how is the…" Jessica trails off, gesturing toward Dani's abdomen.

Her eyes go wide and then dart to her husband. "Malcolm."

He smiles sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I know we wanted to wait, but I was worried about you and it slipped out."

She sighs heavily. "It's fine. I'm not mad. Just don't tell anyone else yet, okay?" she says with a teasing smile.

He nods. "I promise."

"Well, now that that's all cleared up, I can offer my congratulations. Malcolm said you're both looking forward to having another one."

She nods, smiling a little at the memory of when they found out. "We are, yeah. It's a little sooner than we discussed, but I don't mind." She smiles a little brighter up at her husband, reaching a hand out to him. "The important thing is that we're all back together and safe. I love you," she says quietly to him, giving his hand a small squeeze, the fingers of her other hand running through Ezra's hair, making the young child fall closer to sleep, much like his father does in the same situation.

Malcolm leans forward in his chair and presses a lingering kiss to her forehead. "I love you too."

She smiles up at him as she gently tugs him down onto the bed with her, scooting over just enough to let him lie down beside her.

She releases Malcolm's hand and moves it to his hair when he's settled next to her, one of his hands resting on their son's back. She gently cards her fingers through his hair to help him relax, knowing that he's been stressed out since she got taken. She would have been too if the situation had been reversed.

"Well, it looks like this is my cue to leave, then," Jessica speaks quietly from her place still standing near the bed. The woman smiles softly at her, reaching down to touch Dani's shoulder affectionately. "I'm glad you're back home safe. I'll leave you three to rest and make arrangements for some of your things to be brought over to the house. You'll be able to recover comfortably while your house is being fixed up."

"Thank you, Jessica," she whispers back with a smile of her own.

"Of course, dear. Now get some rest. I'll be back later." She gives the small family one more smile before turning and making her way out of the hospital room.

Dani watches her leave and then turns her attention back to her family, shifting in the bed just a little to get more comfortable. With her son and husband fast asleep, she removes her hands from their hair and wraps her arms around both of them to hold them close. She presses a kiss to each forehead and then closes her eyes, letting sleep overtake her, knowing she's safe, knowing she's home.

**Author's Note:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> Also, I need a little assistance on coming up with a name for Jessica as a grandma. I don't want to do the typical 'grandma' or 'nana' or 'grammy' or whatever, because we all know Jessica is not a typical grandmother. I'm a little stumped on a name, I have an idea, I'm just not sure if I like it. So if anyone has any ideas, feel free to let me know. :)
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


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